Openness to experience, intellect, and cognitive ability

Colin G DeYoung, Lena C. Quilty, Jordan B. Peterson, Jeremy R. Gray

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

202 Scopus citations

Abstract

An instrument designed to separate 2 midlevel traits within each of the Big Five (the Big Five Aspect Scales [BFAS]) was used to clarify the relation of personality to cognitive ability. The BFAS measures Openness to Experience and Intellect as separate (although related) traits, and refers to the broader Big Five trait as Openness/Intellect. In 2 samples (N = 125 and 189), Intellect was independently associated with general intelligence (g) and with verbal and nonverbal intelligence about equally. Openness was independently associated only with verbal intelligence. Implications of these findings are discussed for the empirical and conceptual relations of intelligence to personality and for the mechanisms potentially underlying both Openness/Intellect and cognitive ability.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)46-52
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Personality Assessment
Volume96
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2 2014

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was supported by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health (F32 MH077382) to Colin G. DeY-oung, from the National Science Foundation (DRL 0644131) to Jeremy R. Gray, and from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada to Jordan B. Peterson.

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